Four more cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection have been confirmed among the local population bringing the case count in Ghana to 136, with three deaths as of yesterday.
The new cases were detected from the regular surveillance systems of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), especially through its contact tracing efforts.
Local Cases
The case count for local infections as of Thursday stood at 54, but four more cases were confirmed by the GHS on Friday to bring the total number for local transmission to 58 cases.
Recovery
A patient, who is believed to be a Chinese being treated for COVID-19, has fully recovered, while one of the patients who was in critical condition is now stable.
Death Toll
The death toll has also remained the same since Wednesday when the third victim, wife of a retired two star general of the Ghana Navy, passed away while in isolation receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital.
All the three cases that unfortunately succumbed to the disease were aged and had underlying chronic medical conditions, according to health authorities.
The health authorities say 14 cases out of the remaining 54 cases are being managed at home while the rest are responding well to treatment on admission in isolation.
“They are awaiting their test results and will be discharged when the results are negative,” the GHS said in a statement.
Mandatory Quarantine Cases
The case count among travellers under mandatory quarantine, who have been tested, stayed at 78.
So far, the great majority of the confirmed cases among this group were Ghanaians, who returned home from countries where the disease was prevalent.
However, no deaths or recovery has been recorded among those in the two-week mandatory quarantine.
Contacts Traced
In respect of contact tracing, a total of 1,006 contacts have been identified and are being tracked, an increase from the previous days’ of 970.
Out of these, 204 have completed the 14-day mandatory follow up.
Generous Support
There has been an overwhelming support from the private sector and other individuals since the President called on the local industry to partner the government in the COVID-19 fight.
Various industry players including manufactures, business people and politicians have since taken the initiative to donate various medical items and equipment to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to augment the government’s efforts.
Tobinco
One of the country’s pharmaceutical giants, Tobinco Group of companies, yesterday made a donation worth GH¢251,000 to the lead agency in the COVID-19 outbreak response management of the country, MoH.
The donation comprised boxes of facemasks, hand sanitizers, model handwashing equipment, vitamin C and other products to boost the immune system.
Before handing over the items to the sector minister, Tobinco Group CEO Nana Amo Tobin I said, “We have seen how the government is fighting the pandemic and it is our duty to support the government to fight this disease.”
He further noted that the group would extend the gesture to other health facilities across the country, especially those in the rural communities where the most vulnerable live.
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, who received the items on behalf of the government, said the group had demonstrated that it could be relied upon in times of crisis.
“Now almost everywhere in the world people are in crisis and this is not the time to go begging from Europe, America or from China and I want to believe that this gesture will be emulated by other corporate institutions,” he said.
“Government is also procuring equipment and items for distribution as we are now moving into an area where we are getting people to be treated … we believe that wherever we take people, we will be ready to take care of them,” he said.
Despite/Special Group
Two indigenous companies – Despite Group & Special Group of Companies – also demonstrated their support with a hefty donation of US$100,000 to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The money is to enable the management of KATH to acquire all the necessary tools and medications needed to combat the COVID-19 in the Ashanti Region.
Dr. Osei Kwame aka Despite and Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong, who made the joint presentation, said the selection of KATH was informed by the hospital’s services to not only residents of the Ashanti Region but also those from the middle belt and northern part of Ghana.
Kencity
The Member of Parliament for Assin Central Constituency and Group Chairman for Kencity Media Ltd, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, on Tuesday also made a hefty donation of several medical supplies to hospitals across Ghana to help with the fight against COVID-19.
The items included 100,000 pieces of facemasks, gloves and 100 gallons of hand sanitizers. They are to be used by frontline workers in all 16 regional hospitals in Ghana. Besides, he has donated about 200 hospital beds towards the COVID-19.
Others
Other companies including GCB Bank, E-Tang and Ghandour Cosmetics also made donations to support the COVID-19 response management efforts.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri